Johnson Seeks Traction
While President Obama and Mitt Romney continue to duke it out in the national headlines, a third-party candidate is lurking that could play a role in this year's Presidential race. Former New Mexico Governor and GOP Presidential candidate Gary Johnson is now the nominee of the Libertarian Party. Johnson is currently on a swing through Texas that will bring him to Houston this weekend. He's hoping to pick up the support of disenchanted voters and supporters of native Texas son Ron Paul. "Anybody that labels themselves libertarian, I'm your voice," he tells KTRH.
While Johnson touts the Libertarian label, it wasn't long ago he was still, like Paul, running under the banner of the Republican Party. Johnson's most notable moment to date came last year during an early GOP Presidential debate, when he said "My next-door neighbor's two dogs have created more shovel-ready jobs than this current administration." But Johnson tells KTRH he's always been a libertarian at heart. "I am an absolute fiscal conservative...I absolutely care about getting out of our military conflicts, I absolutely care about our civil liberties being eroded." Johnson also touts his plans for tax reform. "I am the only candidate proposing abolishing the income tax, corporate tax, and the IRS, and replacing all of that with one federal consumption tax."
Johnson knows getting his message out there will be difficult, but he's determined to get some airtime in between Obama and Romney over the next few months. "I'm trying to do the best job that I can, believing that I'm not the third choice, but I'm really the only choice." With recent polls showing the race extremely tight between Obama and Romney, Johnson could end up being a spoiler if he tips enough votes his way. Johnson will address the Harris County Libertarian Party on Sunday evening, at the Tracy Gee Community Center on Westcenter Drive.
